jordanbillie
Legend
Bronze Level
I have been choking often when it comes to final tables or after i make the money in tournements , any tips on what should i improve when it comes to mental state or how should i manage my stack ?
Thanks in advance
Play a lot of Hyper SNGs (as cheap as possible) and figure out how to beat that game.
C
chalghaf
Rock Star
Silver Level
Z
zerosalex
Visionary
Bronze Level
State of mind: Act like its a brand new table/tourney that you're starting fresh. Pretend its a sit and go or like you just sat at a live cash game. depending on your stack you want to be aggressive and steal blind if you have average or low stack. If you have chip lead or 2nd or 3rd then fold fold fold and only play good hands in good positions, meaning don't call people's bets, you make the bets and let people fold or call.
KozakAlex
Visionary
Bronze Level
I have been choking often when it comes to final tables or after i make the money in tournements , any tips on what should i improve when it comes to mental state or how should i manage my stack ?
Thanks in advance
With experience, everything will work out. The main thing is that you reach the final table.
C
chalghaf
Rock Star
Silver Level
For the most part yes now im working on reaching the final table more often , but at the same time playing SNG's to work on my headsup game more , cuz i think that's my weakest skill when it comes to this game !
Emily Trott
Legend
Loyaler
I am by no means any sort of an expert, especially with final tables LOL!!, but I think confidence in yourself and your play is one of the most important things. Don't second guess yourself because those are the things that got you there in the first place.
KozakAlex
Visionary
Bronze Level
In heads up, you should bluff and raise more, especially if you don't have a good hand. It is important to exhaust the opponent so that he eventually makes a mistake.
C
chalghaf
Rock Star
Silver Level
K
korbal29
Visionary
Bronze Level
Final table play depends of your chip count and type of player. If you are in the money already and have low count chip ,I usually wait for late positions to fire my chips with any Ace or K with high card ,this way if I double I tighen up a little
Phoenix Wright
Legend
Loyaler
Lots of great tips here.
ICM ideas, effective stack sizes, keeping a good frame of mind etc.
However, I would like to add one more detail...
Define "choking" at the Final Table; what you think may be, might turn out to be the normal. Let us assume you are in a freeroll MTT with 100 players including yourself (I realize 100 may be on the very low end for an MTT, but 100 is a round number for an example with percentages later).
If everyone has the same "skill-level" (no advantage over any others), then you (one player out of 100) have a 1% chance of winning. From a statistical average, you may place in every position of the event once and only win the entire event once. This makes 9 Final Table finishes of 100 attempts. Okay, the example is incredibly unrealistic (all players are not equal in skill level, it is harder to place higher than lower in practice, variance etc.), but I think it illustrates an obvious point that is commonly overlooked:
You are not supposed to win most Final Tables you make!
It isn't necessarily choking. There is simply 9 players at the last table and someone must place 1st. 1 of 9 chance (assuming they all have equal ability - which again is a huge assumption) isn't much for you. How do you increase your chances then? Simple. Give yourself an edge over the others at the Final Table. This might be general poker ability, a better understanding of ICM pressure, more sit n' go experience etc.
The takeaway from my post (I hope) should be that not placing in 1st is not necessarily choking.
ICM ideas, effective stack sizes, keeping a good frame of mind etc.
However, I would like to add one more detail...
Define "choking" at the Final Table; what you think may be, might turn out to be the normal. Let us assume you are in a freeroll MTT with 100 players including yourself (I realize 100 may be on the very low end for an MTT, but 100 is a round number for an example with percentages later).
If everyone has the same "skill-level" (no advantage over any others), then you (one player out of 100) have a 1% chance of winning. From a statistical average, you may place in every position of the event once and only win the entire event once. This makes 9 Final Table finishes of 100 attempts. Okay, the example is incredibly unrealistic (all players are not equal in skill level, it is harder to place higher than lower in practice, variance etc.), but I think it illustrates an obvious point that is commonly overlooked:
You are not supposed to win most Final Tables you make!
It isn't necessarily choking. There is simply 9 players at the last table and someone must place 1st. 1 of 9 chance (assuming they all have equal ability - which again is a huge assumption) isn't much for you. How do you increase your chances then? Simple. Give yourself an edge over the others at the Final Table. This might be general poker ability, a better understanding of ICM pressure, more sit n' go experience etc.
The takeaway from my post (I hope) should be that not placing in 1st is not necessarily choking.
C
chalghaf
Rock Star
Silver Level
thanks for the thoughtful post , i appreciate it !
i guess what i meant by choking in final tables was me not play aggressively as i should be in some spots .
i really like how you pointed out that making a final table shouldnt mean i should always get first , definitely put things in a more clear prespective !